UK heir to multi-billion pound pie fortune sentenced to life for stabbing best friend 37 times on Christmas Eve

A heir to multi-billionaire firm -- Peter's Pies -- has been sentenced to life in prison for the 'barbaric and cruel' murder of his best friend on Christmas Eve in the house they shared, reported BBC.

According to the report, Dylan Thomas, (24) has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of his best friend, William Bush (23). The report added that Thomas stabbed Bush 37 times using a large kitchen knife and a flick knife in the home they shared in Cardiff's Llandaff.

Apart from this, Thomas had searched online for the anatomy of the neck hours before the murder. He denied committing the crime despite admitting manslaughter. Thomas is the grandson of Sir Stanley Thomas whose family founded Peter's Pies.

Weeks before the murder, Thomas was arrested for attempting to scale Buckingham Palace's fence and had been released on police bail.

About the incident:

On 24 December 2023, Thomas was driven to the house by his grandmother, Sharon Burton and upon arrival he retrieved the knives, entered Bush's bedroom, and launched the fatal attack. Passers-by reported hearing "screams of horror" from the house, added the report.

Not only this, after the incident, Thomas even called 999 and claimed Bush had 'gone mental' and stabbed him.

What did the court say?

The prosecution claimed it was a planned attack and Thomas was fully aware of his actions. Judge Steyn described the murder as 'particularly terrifying', noting Bush was attacked in the safety of his bedroom by someone he trusted, said the BBC report.

After this, the court heard from Bush's grieving family and girlfriend. While, in his defence, Thomas claimed he regretted not seeking psychiatric help, with evidence suggesting he had been psychotic for months before the killing.

Later, Chris Evans of the Crown Prosecution Service condemned the attack as a "shocking level of violence".